Yesterday I decided that I would take my brother Peter on Puffing Billy, you see my brother well, he likes trains...
Okay that was a lie, saying that he 'likes' trains is like saying I like ducks. (note obsession with ducks)
Ask him what trains run on Puffing Billy, he'll tell you every class- model number, every number-what came first, colour, steam-steam train, diesel- train runs on diesel, narrow gauge- type of track it runs on/how wide the tracks are and some fact you never knew existed.
Ask him about any train and he'll flat out tell you everything to possibly know.
Hell don't even ask him, he will tell you anyway.
Because he doesn't just like trains.
Back to our adventure.
So he wakes up at 6:30am ON A SATURDAY! I get up at 6:30 on a Saturday when I know I'm getting paid. Naturally he gets sent back to bed. Instead he wakes again at a more reasonable hour 8am.. Note I am still in bed trying to sleep in a bit more. Didn't work. He wanted to go straight away. Eager isn't even close of a description.
So we jump in the car and the whole way we talk about trains, metro trains, vline trains, coaches, model railways, puffing billy.
The lady at the ticket booth greeted my brother and I with a warm smile, wished us well, and told Pete where to find the model railway display at Lakeside.
The conductors of the day were younger than I am, but without hesitation they clipped Pete's ticket, talked about the steam engine and the carriages waiting at the station.
Station masters shook his hand, pointed out the other steam train being stoked (steam trains need coal, and fire to operate.)
The driver said hello, the fire master invited him to look inside the cab, and answered questions about the train, all the while fascinated by the knowledge Pete had on the class of the train.
He talked Thomas the tank engine with a boy of about 3 and his parents.
I mostly took photo's. But that's what I do while enjoying the fact that my brother is communicating with someone he's just met, and they are communicating back, without any question or judgement.
We watched cheeky dogs running down the bottom of their unfenced backyard just to say hello to the train, we heard the whistle blow while crawling across a railway crossing. Carriages and engines on sidings were pointed out, The trees, the atmosphere. Beautiful. Finally we arrived at Lakeside.
Lakeside lives up to its name. Emerald lake. Parks. Trees. Wildlife. Picnics. But Pete was not interested one bit. He wanted to see the model railway.
FACT: It costs $6 per adult & $4 per child over the age of 12. That's cheaper than a trip to the movies on a Tuesday! Now the model railway to most people is kinda lame.
This model is amazing, so detailed, the layout is fantastic!
Getting back on the train, he looks at the map on the wall of the carriage, talks to a lovely young man about what he's done today. The conductor clips his ticket and sits behind us to talk more about the trains.
In an attempt to help the conductors, Pete closed the carriage door. Only to have the handle fall off. His response? "I broke it Becky!" The look of horror on his face that he broke something precious to him was just so innocent... He hadn't broken it, simply the bolt holding the handle had come off.
Returning back to Belgrave station, he jumps off and immediately wants to go home to tell mum and dad all about his adventure.
Best day. I got to spend some long awaited time with my brother. Its rare, but its always memorable. Pete got to be in his element, with his trains.. and I suppose his sister. Haha.
Xx
Okay that was a lie, saying that he 'likes' trains is like saying I like ducks. (note obsession with ducks)
Ask him what trains run on Puffing Billy, he'll tell you every class- model number, every number-what came first, colour, steam-steam train, diesel- train runs on diesel, narrow gauge- type of track it runs on/how wide the tracks are and some fact you never knew existed.
Ask him about any train and he'll flat out tell you everything to possibly know.
Hell don't even ask him, he will tell you anyway.
Because he doesn't just like trains.
Back to our adventure.
So he wakes up at 6:30am ON A SATURDAY! I get up at 6:30 on a Saturday when I know I'm getting paid. Naturally he gets sent back to bed. Instead he wakes again at a more reasonable hour 8am.. Note I am still in bed trying to sleep in a bit more. Didn't work. He wanted to go straight away. Eager isn't even close of a description.
So we jump in the car and the whole way we talk about trains, metro trains, vline trains, coaches, model railways, puffing billy.
The lady at the ticket booth greeted my brother and I with a warm smile, wished us well, and told Pete where to find the model railway display at Lakeside.
The conductors of the day were younger than I am, but without hesitation they clipped Pete's ticket, talked about the steam engine and the carriages waiting at the station.
Station masters shook his hand, pointed out the other steam train being stoked (steam trains need coal, and fire to operate.)
The driver said hello, the fire master invited him to look inside the cab, and answered questions about the train, all the while fascinated by the knowledge Pete had on the class of the train.
He talked Thomas the tank engine with a boy of about 3 and his parents.
I mostly took photo's. But that's what I do while enjoying the fact that my brother is communicating with someone he's just met, and they are communicating back, without any question or judgement.
We watched cheeky dogs running down the bottom of their unfenced backyard just to say hello to the train, we heard the whistle blow while crawling across a railway crossing. Carriages and engines on sidings were pointed out, The trees, the atmosphere. Beautiful. Finally we arrived at Lakeside.
Lakeside lives up to its name. Emerald lake. Parks. Trees. Wildlife. Picnics. But Pete was not interested one bit. He wanted to see the model railway.
FACT: It costs $6 per adult & $4 per child over the age of 12. That's cheaper than a trip to the movies on a Tuesday! Now the model railway to most people is kinda lame.
This model is amazing, so detailed, the layout is fantastic!
Then his tummy rumbles. A typical boy, he can eat! While waiting in line he wonders off outside to look at something. A Rosella, getting ever so close to people without any form of fear. He watched intently as it flew from table to chair, then finally onto the hand of a gentleman bearing some crumbs.
The gentleman's wife offers Pete some crumbs and sure enough the Rosella flew up onto the table and eats from his hand. He was thrilled!
Getting back on the train, he looks at the map on the wall of the carriage, talks to a lovely young man about what he's done today. The conductor clips his ticket and sits behind us to talk more about the trains.
In an attempt to help the conductors, Pete closed the carriage door. Only to have the handle fall off. His response? "I broke it Becky!" The look of horror on his face that he broke something precious to him was just so innocent... He hadn't broken it, simply the bolt holding the handle had come off.
Returning back to Belgrave station, he jumps off and immediately wants to go home to tell mum and dad all about his adventure.
Best day. I got to spend some long awaited time with my brother. Its rare, but its always memorable. Pete got to be in his element, with his trains.. and I suppose his sister. Haha.
Xx
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